In 1990 I was deployed just before the 1st Gulf War started.  On that 6 month cruise I injured my lower back L4L5, and again L5S1.  While working up the back it was discovered that I had Degenerative Disc Disease throughout the spine cervical, thorastic and lower lumbar.  Also a few years afterward, we would also find out that I have a disease of the bone called Padgets disease mainly in my spine.  A month after returning home and starting PT, Aug 2 1990 happened so 13 days later I found myself in Saudi Arabia during very hot weather.  The spine got  nothing but worse, and every day they were fogging the camp with an organophosphate pesticide which was sprayed on me daily and breathed every morning for months at a time.  In Dec, or shortly after started having unexplained pain, problems breathing, and acute depression.  Of course in the military thinking this was all in my mind, that 3 or 4 others from my unit alone we having the same problems well this was our "way out".  Well that is not what I needed or wanted at that time, just for the pain to end.  I get terrible rashes which it is embarassing to go swimming at times because it is so bad.  The breathing problems became "Exercised induced asthma (while I was sleeping many times). As far as the pain it was all in my head, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, lupus, how many other stupid things have I been told.  Anyway, my hands and feet will turn beat red and swell giving off tremendous heat, but this is all in my head now.  I suffer from muscle pains throughout my body it likes having the flu without the temperature you just ache all over.  The back problem has been exacerbated with osteoarthritis of the spine, and pick any other joint and I have arthritis in it.  Hands, fingers, wrists, elbows (get the drift).  Through this I have gone through pain med after pain med.  some to be found out that I am alergic to them (morphine).  I do not live a day where I am not in pain 24/7.  I can put it in the back of my mind when its 2 or 3 maybe even 4.  I use a TENS have gone through neurotin, lyrica, currently on fentanyl forever had I surgery to fuse C4C5.  Body no longer makes hormones for the most part so I have to take them.  Blood pressure runs low most of the time and have to worry about blackouts, which has happened a few times.  Nothing like hitting the floor and then coming to!!  As I'm 6'4" and weigh 220 my little wife can't lift me although she has tried bless her heart.  No, I just learn to improvise, adapt, overcome as I always have.  The pain, well prayer and a lot of patience, and somedays just stay in.  I can no longer work, thanks to the pain and medications.  I suffer from depression and PTSD because of the situation I was put through and am in.  No I'm no hero it is more the story of a zero trying to get by.  God bless one and all.

Don